


what lies beneath

by andibeth82



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, F/M, Iron Man 3 Spoilers, Late Night Conversations, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-10 23:48:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/791588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andibeth82/pseuds/andibeth82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But most of all, Pepper Potts really hates that rabbit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	what lies beneath

**Author's Note:**

> Interlude/alternate take after the notable "Pepper gets attacked" bedroom scene.

She hates her body for its immediate reaction – her legs for moving her out of the room, her arms for pushing him away, her mouth for unleashing hurtful words.

But most of all, Pepper Potts really hates that rabbit.

It’s laughable, almost, or she thinks maybe it would be if what had happened in the bedroom hadn’t just happened at all. As she takes the stairs two at a time, attempting to keep the tears at bay, she wonders if maybe she should’ve predicted it. Maybe she should’ve acted differently. Maybe she should’ve stayed upstairs in the first place.

_Tinker with that._

Pepper swings her legs onto the couch, pressing the heel of her palm against her eye. Had she not noticed how different things had been for them, for him, for everyone around them after New York? Of course she had. Had she really just chalked up the overabundance of work and selfish attitude to Tony being Tony, as she had done so many times before? Of course she had. Had she really been that blind to not push further, to look underneath the multitude of emotional walls that she sometimes doubted even JARVIS could pull off? She shakes her head, letting her face fall forward into the pillow.

“It sucks.”

“Excuse me?” She slowly drags her muffled voice out of the pillow, but doesn’t bother to turn around.

“The rabbit. I know, it sucks.”

A laugh, a strangled essence of a sob escapes her lips before she can swallow it back and when she turns, he’s standing at the end of the stairs, gazing up at the oversized animal.

“It’s really not the worst gift I’ve gotten from you.” She twists her body forward and closes her eyes, counting the seconds until she feels the couch dip beside her.

_1\. 2. 3. 4. 5._

“I’m sorry.” And when she opens her eyes, she’s surprised to find his reflect just as brightly in the darkness of the living room. She lowers her head, the back of her neck grazing the couch pillow. And she realizes, quite simply, that he really _is_ sorry when the tightness in her chest gives out slightly.

“I didn’t know what to do. I thought…I almost…” She bites her lip, running a hand over her hair. “You know, even without that damn suit you have armor. I should be used to it and…” She trails off, wills the lump in her throat to subside before speaking again. “And I don’t know. I don’t know, Tony. But I do know it’s my job to be there, and I’m not. I wasn’t.”

“No.”

The words come out softer than she expects and she feels a hand reach for her leg, his thumb moving back and forth against her thigh. “No, Pepper. You were.” Attempting to tear his gaze from its spot on the floor, he finally succeeds after a pause that seems far too long and far too tense.

“I wasn’t.”

That earns a smile and a slight scoff, and, against her better judgment, an eyebrow raise.

“You gonna one-up me? I mean, I’m the one that almost got killed tonight.” (And so maybe he looks a little stricken at her words and maybe it’s stupid but she figures if she can make a joke of it, make it all seem like it’s okay even when it’s not, maybe at some point it _will_ be.) He reaches out in response and wraps two fingers around her palm.

“The suits – I mean, I don’t know, or why it happened, but I’m just sorry, and I can’t –“ He cuts himself off before he can continue, rubbing a hand across his eyes, and looks down when he feels the grip on his hand tighten.

“Are you sure this is what you want?”

Pepper reaches up, letting a hand press against his face.

“Shut up, Tony. Shut up and hold me.”


End file.
